Bible-Reading.comGalatians 4
1But I say that as long as the son is a child, he is in no way different from a servant, though he is lord of all;
2But is under keepers and managers till the time fixed by the father.
3So we, when we were young, were kept under the first rules of the world;
4But when the time had come, God sent out his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5That he might make them free who were under the law, and that we might be given the place of sons.
6And because you are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, saying, Abba, Father.
7So that you are no longer a servant, but a son; and if a son, then the heritage of God is yours.
8But at that time, having no knowledge of God, you were servants to those who by right are no gods:
9But now that you have come to have knowledge of God, or more truly, God has knowledge of you, how is it that you go back again to the poor and feeble first things, desiring to be servants to them again?
10You keep days, and months, and fixed times, and years.
11I am in fear of you, that I may have been working for you to no purpose.
12My desire for you, brothers, is that you may be as I am, because I am as you are. You have done me no wrong;
13But you have knowledge that with a feeble body I was preaching the good news to you the first time;
14And you did not have a poor opinion of me because of the trouble in my flesh, or put shame on it; but you took me to your hearts as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
15Where then is that happy condition of yours? because I give you witness, that, if possible, you would have taken out your eyes and given them to me.
16So then am I no longer your friend, because I give you true words?
17Their interest in you is not good; but their desire is that you may be shut out, so that you may go after them.
18But it is good to have an interest in a good cause at all times, and not only when I am present with you.
19My children, of whom I am again in birth-pains till Christ is formed in you,
20Truly my desire is to be present with you now, using a changed voice; for I am troubled about you.
21Say, you whose desire it is to be under the law, do you not give ear to the law?
22Because it is in the Writings, that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant-woman, and one by the free woman.
23Now the son by the servant-woman has his birth after the flesh; but the son by the free woman has his birth through the undertaking of God.
24Which things have a secret sense; because these women are the two agreements; one from the mountain of Sinai, giving birth to servants, which is Hagar.
25Now this Hagar is the mountain Sinai in Arabia, and is the image of the Jerusalem which now is: which is a servant with her children.
26But the Jerusalem on high is free, which is our mother.
27For it is in the Writings, You who have never given birth, be glad; give cries of joy, you who have had no birth-pains; for the children of her who has been given up by her husband are more than those of the woman who has a husband.
28Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are the children of the undertaking of God.
29But as in those days he who had birth after the flesh was cruel to him who had birth after the Spirit, even so it is now.
30What then do the Writings say? Send away the servant-woman and her son; for the son of the servant-woman will not have a part in the heritage with the son of the free woman.
31So, brothers, we are not children of the servant-woman, but of the free woman.
Galatians 5
1Christ has truly made us free: then keep your free condition and let no man put a yoke on you again.
2See, I Paul say to you, that if you undergo circumcision, Christ will be of no use to you.
3Yes, I give witness again to every man who undergoes circumcision, that he will have to keep all the law.
4You are cut off from Christ, you who would have righteousness by the law; you are turned away from grace.
5For we through the Spirit by faith are waiting for the hope of righteousness.
6Because in Christ Jesus, having circumcision or not having circumcision are equally of no profit; but only faith working through love.
7You were going on well; who was the cause of your not giving ear to what is true?
8This ready belief did not come from him who had made you his.
9A little leaven makes a change in all the mass.
10I am certain about you in the Lord, that you will be of no other mind; but he who is troubling you will have his punishment, whoever he is.
11But I, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still attacked? then has the shame of the cross been taken away.
12My desire is that they who give you trouble might even be cut off themselves.
13Because you, brothers, were marked out to be free; only do not make use of your free condition to give the flesh its chance, but through love be servants one to another.
14For all the law is made complete in one word, even in this, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself.
15But if you are given to fighting with one another, take care that you are not the cause of destruction one to another.
16But I say, Go on in the Spirit, and you will not come under the rule of the evil desires of the flesh.
17For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; because these are opposite the one to the other; so that you may not do the things which you have a mind to do.
18But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19Now the works of the flesh are clear, which are these: evil desire, unclean things, wrong use of the senses,
20Worship of images, use of strange powers, hates, fighting, desire for what another has, angry feelings, attempts to get the better of others, divisions, false teachings,
21Envy, uncontrolled drinking and feasting, and such things: of which I give you word clearly, even as I did in the past, that they who do such things will have no part in the kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, a quiet mind, kind acts, well-doing, faith,
23Gentle behaviour, control over desires: against such there is no law.
24And those who are Christ's have put to death on the cross the flesh with its passions and its evil desires.
25If we are living by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us be guided.
26Let us not be full of self-glory, making one another angry, having envy of one another.
Galatians 6
1Brothers, if a man is taken in any wrongdoing, you who are of the Spirit will put such a one right in a spirit of love; keeping watch on yourself, for fear that you yourself may be tested.
2Take on yourselves one another's troubles, and so keep the law of Christ.
3For if a man has an idea that he is something when he is nothing, he is tricked by himself.
4But let every man make test of his work, and then will his cause for glory be in himself only, and not in his neighbour.
5Because every man is responsible for his part of the work.
6But let him who gets teaching in the word give a part in all good things to his teacher.
7Be not tricked; God is not made sport of: for whatever seed a man puts in, that will he get back as grain.
8Because he who puts in the seed of the flesh will of the flesh get the reward of death; but he who puts in the seed of the Spirit will of the Spirit get the reward of eternal life.
9And let us not get tired of well-doing; for at the right time we will get in the grain, if we do not give way to weariness.
10So then, as we have the chance, let us do good to all men, and specially to those who are of the family of the faith.
11See the size of the handwriting which I myself have made use of in writing to you.
12Those who have the desire to seem important in the flesh, put force on you to undergo circumcision; only that they may not be attacked because of the cross of Christ.
13Because even those who undergo circumcision do not themselves keep the law; but they would have you undergo circumcision, so that they may have glory in your flesh.
14But far be it from me to have glory in anything, but only in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which this world has come to an end on the cross for me, and I for it.
15For having circumcision is nothing, and not having circumcision is nothing, but only a new order of existence.
16And on all who are guided by this rule be peace and mercy, and on the Israel of God.
17From this time on let no man be a trouble to me; because my body is marked with the marks of Jesus.
18The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. So be it.